Obesity as a predictor of postpartum urinary symptoms

BACKGROUND: To investigate the relationship between pre-pregnancy obesity, and urinary symptoms, especially urinary incontinence, before, during, and 6-18 months after delivery. METHODS: Body Mass Index extracted from obstetric records. Postal questionnaire. MATERIAL AND SETTING: One hundred and eight women with Body Mass Index of at least 30 kg/m2 delivered at the Obstetric Department, Herning Central Hospital, October 1994 to September 1995. As control served 108 matched, normal weight women delivering during the same period. RESULT: Response rate was 83%. Stress incontinence, urgency and the feeling of having a hygienic problem was significantly more common after delivery in both groups, but at any time significantly more common among obese women. Urge incontinence was a numerically small problem after delivery. CONCLUSION: Obesity is a potent risk factor for several urinary symptoms after pregnancy and delivery, and a substantial number of women still have problems 6-18 months postpartum.